My Guide To Barcelona.

Written By Matilda Bea .

Barcelona is a city I’ll never get tired of visiting, it’s home to so many amazing independent clothing and homeware shops, cool coffee spots, some of the best restaurants I’ve ever been to and fun bars. Not to mention how gorgeous it is and the fact it also has a beach - the best of both worlds. 

A friend and I stayed at the lovely @lunaisabellaa’s apartment which was quite possibly the most gorgeous apartment I ever stayed in (I took so much inspiration for my new house). It was in a great area that was only a short walk away from some incredible shops and coffee spots.

Day One:

We landed and took a 30 minute taxi to our apartment. Dropped our bags, freshened up and headed out to dinner. For dinner we went to Clara (I came here last year and loved it so much I had to come back). We had beef carpaccio, burrata, a creamy leek dish with hazelnuts, grilled duck and we finished off with the most incredible chocolate cake. The city really does come alive later at night and I’d recommend booking a table for 9.30-10pm. 

Day Two:

We headed to La Papa for a BIG breakfast, with patatas bravas churros, sweetcorn fritters and a parmesan rosti. You’ll have to queue for a table (around 10 minutes) but it's definitely worth the wait. We left fuelled for shopping and headed to ,248 , a family run ceramics and deli store, which was conveniently on the other side of the road. I picked up some super cute homeware pieces including salt and pepper shakers and lemon plates. 

We then headed to Lolacruz, if you’re after new shoes this is the place, we didn’t buy anything but were tempted. Next up was VASQUIAT, we were very successful here. My friend bought a lovely dress and top, I bought some jewellery and a drop waist dress. The quality was great of all the items and quite well priced. We then visited the Bassel Store and Cotton Vintage! Definitely go to Cotton if you’re looking for some high quality vintage items, prices are flexible too so prepare to barter. 

To celebrate our successful purchases we headed to Onis coffee, shared a fresh cinnamon bun & sipped an ice coffee in the cutest window seat where we sat and planned the rest of our day. 

We wanted something fairly chilled for dinner so we went to Parking Pizza, located in a large industrial building with long tables. The pizza was super good & they had great cocktails. Following dinner, we got a taxi to Two Schmucks, a famous speakeasy that served up some of the most inventive cocktails we’d tried in a long time. 

Day Three:

We went to Gringa for brunch, which is an American diner style spot, and ordered the pancakes (they were so fluffy!) and the breakfast burrito. It felt like we were in LA here and the food really surpassed our expectations.

To walk off our food baby we wandered around the Gothic Quarter and ended up at Soho House. We basked in the sun on their rooftop for most of the day, drank, swam and ate. 

In the evening, we had reservations at Rabbit Bar, a tapas place which was on the other side of the city. A restaurant adorned with David Shrigley art serving impressive seafood & fresh tapas. A slightly more pricey spot but worth a try. 

Then bed!

My plans for when I visit next time…

Things to do:

  • The World Comes to Life With Each Kiss - Art exhibition 

  • Ciutadella Park - Here you can go on pedalos and sunbathe if you’re not fancying the beach

  • Observatori Fabra - Near the top of Tibidabo, head here for wonderful views of the city. It is the world's fourth oldest astronomical observatory still in operation (I recommend going at night/sunset)

  • Park Güell - A must visit if it's your first time in Barcelona 

  • Santa Maria del Mar - A stunning cathedral that's stood the test of time 

  • Parc del Laberint d'Horta - Barcelona’s oldest park which has lily-glazed ponds, sculptures of mythological figures, and a cypress maze

  • Tibidabo - A mountain fairground which has views of the city from above

  • Explore the Barri Gotic (Gothic Quarter) and take a look at the Catedral del Barcelona 

  • La Boqueria - Barcelona’s oldest market, with over 200 stalls 

  • Palo Alto Market - An abandoned factory in the most up-and-coming part of town with live music, pop-up bars and supposedly insanely good food trucks

Where to shop till you drop. 

We found the best area to shop in was L'Eixample. Most of the stores were within 5 minute walks of each other. In between heading to the next shop we discovered so many more gems. 

The ONLY food & drink guide you need for Barcelona…

Breakfast / Brunch / Coffee:

Dinner:

Drinks:

  • Boca chica - Cool bar with experimental cocktails 

  • Baldomero - Restaurant which turns to a bar 

  • Eleven BCN - Looking for a rooftop bar? Head here 

  • Two Schmucks - Experimental drinks, a must visit 

  • Masa Vins - Wine bar with relaxed vibes 

  • Monk - An impressive speakeasy

  • PetNat - Natural wine bar that also serves craft beer

Where to stay in the city…

  • El Palace Hotel - A 5 star timeless hotel with a great view of la Sagrada Familia 

  • Cotton House Hotel - The former headquarters of the Cotton Textile Foundation, it has an incredible marble staircase, delicate parquet and boiserie embellished ceilings

  • Ohla Barcelona - Modern rooms with rooftop, very central 

If Barcelona isn’t on your list to visit this Summer and you’re trying to plan a trip, I’d definitely recommend it. It's perfect for a getaway with the girls or a couples trip if you can’t decide between beach or city. 

With love,

Matilda x
















Matilda Bea .
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My Guide To Mallorca.